The National Longitudinal Surveys (NLS) are a set of surveys designed to gather information at multiple points in time on the labor market activities and other significant life events of several groups of men and women. For more than 4 decades, NLS data have served as an important tool for economists, sociologists, and other researchers.

National
Longitudinal Surveys of Young Men and Older Men-- The Young Men's
survey, which was discontinued in 1981, includes men who were ages 14-24
when first interviewed in 1966. The Older Men's survey, which was
discontinued in 1990, includes men who were ages 45-59 when first
interviewed in 1966.

A longitudinal study of individuals born in the early 1980s reveals that young adults held an
average of 7.2 jobs from ages 18 through 28. Over half of these jobs were held between the
ages of 18 and 21. Young adults were employed for an average of 74 percent of weeks from ages
18 to 28.
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NLS Tables

Most-Requested NLS Tables

NUMBER OF JOBS HELD

NLSY79: Number of jobs held by individuals from age 18 to age 50 in 1978-2014 by educational attainment, sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and age
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NLSY97: Number of jobs held by individuals from age 18 through age 28 in 1998-2013 by educational attainment, sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and age
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DURATION OF EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIPS WITH A SINGLE EMPLOYER

NLSY79: Duration of employment relationships with a single employer for all jobs started from age 18 to age 50 in 1978-2014 by age at start of job, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
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NLSY97: Duration of employment relationship with a single employer for all jobs started from age 18 through age 28 in 1998-2013 by educational attainment, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
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General publications

"NLS News" Newsletter --This quarterly newsletter included information about new data releases, error notices, completed NLS research and other information of interest to researchers. It has been discontinued and its information can now be obtained on NLSinfo.org